Sprinkler bearing construction



July 26, 1960 H. D. JACBY 2,946,517

SPRINKLER BEARING CONSTRUCTION l Filed Feb. s, 1958 ilnited `States Patent SPRINKLER BEARING CONSTRUCTION Harry D. Jacoby, Palos Verdes Estates, Calif.,`assign0r to Walter V. Storm, Rolling Hills, Calif.

Filed Feb. 3, 1958, Ser. No. 713,051

2 Claims.. (Cl. 239-264) This invention relates to a sprinkler and is morerparticularly concerned with an overhead rotary sprinkler having a novel bearing construction.

The ordinary overhead rotary sprinkler involves an elongate vertically -disposed bearing housing applicable to a water supply pipe, an elongate vertically disposed tubular spindle extending through and rotatably carried by the housing and a water distributing head carried by the spindle at the upper end thereof. The head is provided with a laterally and upwardly projecting water conducting arm or branch having a nozzle at its outer end adapted to direct a jet of wa-ter away from the head.

The ordinary sprinkler of the character referred to further includes a suitable drive means for rotating the head and the spindle relative to the-bearing housing which means generally involves a spring loaded driver carried by the head and having an arm with a dellector at one end adapted to be acted upon by the jet of water issuing from the nozzle of the sprinkler.

Due to the reaction of the jet of water issuing `from the nozzle and from one side lof the distributing head, thev An object of the present invention is to provide a novel .'45

sprinkler bearing which establishes uniform bearing en gagement when the spindle is urged out of alignment with the bearing housing by the reaction of the jet of Water issuing laterally from the distributing head.

A feature of the present invention is to provide a sprinkler bearing construction of the character referred to wherein the bearing housing and/or the spindle is provided 'with longitudinally spaced conical bearing surfaces, which surfaces establish llat bearing engagement with the portions of the constructions which they oppose when the sprinkler is in operation and when the bearing housing and spindle are urged out of alignment with eachother as a result of the reaction of the jet of water issuing from the `distributing head.

Another object of the invention is to provide a structure of the character referred to which is both easy and economical of manufacture and which is both highly effective and dependable in operation.

The various objects and features of my invention will be fully understood lfrom the following detailed description of a typical preferred form and application of my invention, throughout which description reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a side elevational View of the sprinkler provided by the present invention and having portions thereof broken away to show the novel bearing construction that I provide in section.

attesti Patented `July 26,1960

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detailed sectional view of a portion of the construction illustrated in Fig. l and showing the relationship of the spindle and the bearing housings when the construction .is not in use.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged broken sectional view showing portions of the construction illustrated in Fig. 2 and illustrating the manner in which the spindle bears in the bearing housing when the construction is in use.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 and showing another form of the invention.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3 and illustrating the manner in which the spindle, in the form of the invention illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings, cooperates With the bearing sleeve when the construction is in operation.

The sprinkler construction provided by the present invention is applicable to the upper terminal end of a vertically disposed water conducting stand pipe P, or the like, and is shown as involving generally, an elongate vertically disposed bearing housing A xed to and projecting upwardly from thepipe P, an elongate vertically disposed tubular spindle B extending through and rotatably carried by the'bearing housing, a water distributing head C carried by the spindle at the upper end thereof, and drive means D adapted to rotate the head and the spindle relative to the bearing housing.

The sprinkler construction is shown as further including, sealing means E at the lower end of the housing A establishing bearing sealing engagement with the spindle B and the housing, and an upper sealing means F at the upper end of the housing A and establishing bearing sealing engagement with the head C.

The pipe P is shown as an elongate vertically disposed tubular element 10 that is internally threadedtat its upper end 11, and is adapted to conduct and deliver water under pressure to be handled by sprinkler.

The Vbearing housing A that I 4provide isan elongate vertically disposed element having a straight, central longitudinal bore 12 extending' therethrough,an externally threaded lower portion 13 threadedly engaged in the upper end of the pipe, an enlarged central portion '14 provided With suitable tool engaging llats 15 and an upper portion 16 of reduced diameter projecting upwardly from the top of the central portion. The central portion 14 of the housing A has a at top or upper end from which the upper portion 16 projects or continues and which establishes an annular upwardly facing shoulder 17, which shouldercooperates with an element of the sealing means Fin an manner that will hereinafter be described.

The spindle B is an elongate vertically disposed tubular member with a central longitudinal flow passage20 extending therethrough, an elongate central portion Z1 having a cylindrical vexterior surface, an enlarged ilangelike lower portion 22 projecting radially outwardlyfrom the lower end of the central portion and defining an upsaid central por-tion;

and is engaged -in the bore 12 of the housing A with working clearance and so that the shoulder 23 on the lower end portion of the spindle is Aspaced from and opposes the Alower end of the spindle and so that the threaded upper end portion 24 of the spindle projects beyond the upper terminal end of the housing where it engages Athe head C as will hereinafter be described. It will be apparent from the above, that the tubular spindle B projects through the bearing housing A, establishes open communication between the pipe P and the distributing head C.

The distributing head C in the form of the invention 1 illustrated is an L-shaped member formed as by casting ...s and includes an elongate vertically disposed base 30 and an arm or branch 31 projecting laterally and upwardly from one side of the base.

The distributing head C further includes a Waterway 32 communicating with the flow passage 20 inthe spindle and extending through the `branch 31 ofthe head'. The.V

branch 31 ofl the headis provided with. a nozzle 33 at its outer end and communicating with the waterway 32. extending therethrough and is adapted to deliver a j et of water laterally and upwardly from the head.

In addition to the above. the head C-is providedat. its lower end with an enlarged bore 34 adapted to freely receive the upper terminal end of the bearing housing A and an internally threaded counterbore 35 continuing upwardly fromV the bore 34- and adaptedto cooperatively engage and receive the upper threaded portion 24 of. the spindle B and to secureY the head?- and the spindle.V in` fixed relationship-to each other.

With the above relationship off parts, it will be apparent that when the upper end 2'4 ofthe spindle B' is,I threadedly engaged in the counterbore 35 in the head.C the spindle and the head are rotatably coupled. to the ybearing housing A, the bearing -housing A being engaged around the central portion 21 of the spindle and between the shoulder' 2 3 at the lower end of the spindle and the bottom of the bore 34 in the head C.

The drive means D adapted lto rotate the headV and the spindle relative to the bearinghousing A is shown asincluding an elongate vertically disposed pin 40 fixed to and projecting upwardly from the` base 30 of the head C, in axial alignment' therewith, a driver 41 rotatably carried by the pin, a bumper 42 xed to and carried by the head to occur adjacent the outer end portion of the branch 31 of the head and adapted-to be engaged bythe driver, torsion spring means 43 between the driver and the pin and normally yieldingly urging the driver towards the bumper, and a deectorV 44 on the driver adapted to be engaged by the' jet of Water issuing from the nozzle- 33 to be deflected thereby and away from the bumper and against ythe resistance of the spring means.

With the above relationship of parts,tit will be ap-y parent that after the driver has been rotated or urged away from the bumper by the reaction of the jet of water on the deflector, it is urged' back by the spring means so that it strikes the` bumper, causing the head to rotate a short distance relative to the housing A.

SinceY the details of construction of the drivermeans- D can Vary widelyin form and construction and do not eifect the novelty of the present invention, I will not burden this specification. with further detailed description of the said drive means.

The sealing means E at the lower end of the housing A is adapted to allow for free relative rotation and axial shifting between the spindle and the housing and to restrict the ow of water between the spindle andv the housing.

The means E is shown as including a resilient rubberlike washer 50 engaged around the central portion 21 of the spindle to occur at the lower end thereof and seated on the upwardly facing shoulder 23 established by the enlarged lower end portion 22 of the Spindle, and a bearing insert 51 engaged in an annular radially andA downwardly opening recess 52 in the lower terminal end of the housing A.

The washer 50- of the means is of substantial thickness or vertical extent andV is'f01med of aresilient rubber-like material, whil'ethe'bearing insert 51 is formed` of a plastic material such as polyt'etrafluorethylene, corn.- monly referred toas Teflon., or any other suitablematerial having a low coei'cient of friction with the rubber-like matting Washer 50.

With the means E- set forth above, it will be apparent ing inSert^51-. It will be further apparent that when theI 4 spindleB` and the bearing liousingA becomes'misaligned,

as by the reaction of the water issuing from the nozzle 33, the resilient washer will not be shifted` out of sealing engagement with the bearinginsert, :but will compensate for such misalignment and will maintain bearing sealing engagement about the entire circumference of the bearing insert.

The sealing means F ati the upper end of the housing A is shownas including an annular bearing insert 60 engaged in anannular' radially inwardly and downwardly disposed recess. 61 in the-lower end of the; base 30 of. the head C andlfreelfy passing the upper section 16 of the housing which, enters the bore 34 in the head. A spring hood 62 is sldably engaged around theupper portion 16 of the housing and; a, compression spring, 63 is provided between the spring hood 62 and Ithe lupwardly facing shoulder 17 on the central portion 14 of the housing and normally yieldingly urges the hood 62 upwardly and into sealingengagement with the bearing, insertt).

The spring63acts through the hood 62. and the insert v60 to normally yieldngly urge theY head C and the spindle- B upwardly relative.V tothe` housing A and thereby maintain they sealing. means E at thev lower end of the spindle andthe housing in proper working engagement at` alltimes..

In the form of theinvention4 illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3` of. the drawings, the `bore'12 extending through the housing. A is. a simple straight unobstructed` bore, while the centralportionZl ofthe spindle B-is provided with an upwardly convergent. bearing. surface 71 at its upper end.

In practice, the angle of theconical` `bearing surfaces 71.

andf72. andtheir longitudinal. extent can. vary widely and iscontrolled and'/ or determined. by the length of thecentral` portion. of. the vspindle Bg the working clearanceY which` is provided. between` the spindle and the bore of the housing. and. the: amountof. bearing contact desired. The shorterthe spindle and themore working-clearance that isprovidedbetween fthe spindle:` and the bore-in` the housingnthe more `acutethe. angle ofthev bearing surfaces` 71. and: 72 and, the resulting. amount of bearing contact whichis maintained between the said surfaces andthe bore in the housing. is determined by theiwork. load thebearing surfaceswill: normally. be subjected to. This work. load is, determined Vby the particular design ofthe sprinkler. and. the water pressure under which it is def signedl to operate.

In thel particular case illustrated, they portionV of thespindle occurringbetween the bearing. surfacesA 71 and'` 72 isiturned down or relie-,vedasY at 73.

In the form of--the invention-illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 of theI drayvirigsg,I the spindle B hasfstraight longitudinally disposed upper and lower bearing surfaces 71 and' 72 and the bore-'.12'Y in 'the bearing. housing. A is provided withearr upwardly divergent or' conical bearingv surface 744 tocooperativelyv engage the upper bearing surface 71' on -the spindle and adownwardly diyergent bearing surfaceI 75vto cooperatively engage the lower bearing surface 7,1 of the spindle, whenv the construction-is in operation andthe spindle is urged out'of axial Aalignment with the housing'by' the reactionv of the jet of water issuing from the distributing head C.

' It will' be apparent that the form of the invention now Vunder consideration is substantially' the same as that rst discussediform, except that the conical'v bearing surfaces 74 and 75 are provided in the bore 12' of the bearing housing A rather than on the spindle B.

In the second form of the invention, the angle and the longitudinal extent of the bearing surfaces 74 and 75 can vary and are controlled and/or determined by the same factors set forth above in discussing .the first form of the invention.

Throughout the drawings and to better illustrate the principle of 'the invention, the angle of the bearing surfaces 71-72 and 74-75 have been greatly exaggerated and should not be considered to be working drawings. In practice, a sprinkler embodying the present invention and having a housing with bore 2.() inches long, .650 inch in diameter, and receiving its related bearing spring to have .005 minimum working clearance, the angle of the conical bearing surfaces would be 0.

In practice, the bearing surfaces 71-72 and/or 74-75 on the spindle and in the bearing housing can be established by suitable machining operations formed or established by molding or casting when the spindle and/or bearing housings are established or can, if desired, be in -the form of separate sleeves and/ or inserts suitably applied or engaged in the construction.

Having described only typical preferred forms and applications of my invention, I do not wish to be limited or restricted to the specific details herein set forth, but wish to reserve to myself any variations or modifications that may appear to those skilled in the art and fall Within the scope of the following claims.

Having described by invention, I claim:

1. In a sprinkler bearing construction involving an elongate vertically disposed bearing housing, an elongate tubular spindle `freely engaged through and rotatably carried by the housing and a water distributing head fixed to the spindle having a nozzle inclined relative to the longitudinal axis of the spindle and adapted to direct a stream of water laterally relative to the longitudinal axis of the housing and the spindle including, longitudinally spaced oppositely disposed conical bearing surfaces on the spindle and adapted to establish flat bearing engagement in the housing when the spindle is urged out of axial alignment with the housing, by the reaction of the jet of Water issuing from the nozzle in the distributing head and resilient sealing means between the spindle and the lower end of the housing.

2. In a sprinkler bearing construction, an elongate vertically disposed bearing housing with fa straight central longitudinal bore, an elongate tubular spindle freely engaged through the bore and rotatably carried by the housing and a water distributing head iixed to one end of fthe spindle having a nozzle inclined relative to the longitudinal axis of the spindle and adapted to direct a stream of water laterally relative to the longitudinal axis of the housing and the spindle, said spindle having longitudinally spaced oppositely disposed conical bearing surfaces and adapted to establish flat bearing engagement with the bore in the housing when the spindle is urged out of axial alignment with the housing by the reaction of the jet of water issuing from the nozzle in the distributing head, said housing having a downwardly disposed sealing face at its lower end, said spindle having an upwardly disposed shoulder at its lower end opposing the sealing face, a resilient sealing ring between the sealing face and shoulder, and spring means between the housing and the head normally yieldingly urging the spindle upwardly in the housing.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,589,942 Hruby Mar. 18, 1952 2,625,411 Auger Ian. 13, 1953 2,639,191 Hruby May 19, 1953 2,654,635 Lazzarini Oct. 6, 1953 2,746,795 Kofoid May 22, 1956 2,823,952 Hruby Feb. 18, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 165,330 Australia Sept. 22, 1955 

